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Industry: Music Victoria launch Live Music Professionals

Melbourne independent promoters, venue owners, venue managers and band bookers can get a free professional and business development program. Music Victoria has opened applications for Live Music Professionals 2018, which runs from July to November. They close Tuesday April 3 at musicvictoria.com.au/LMP.
Successful applicants will be matched with music industry pros for one-on-one coaching sessions in key business-based areas. In 2017 the coaches included publicist and manager Carolyn Logan, owner of The Tote and Bar Open Jon Perring, Groovin The Moo booker Richard Moffat, manager and co-producer of the Hills Are Alive Festival Aidan McLaren, and Alex Zaccaria of digital marketing agency Bolster.
To strengthen Victoria’s live music sector by fostering successful music businesses, participants will also attend specialised workshops, masterclasses and conferences while also having access to networking.
2017 participant, venue operator Jeremy Furze said as a result, he implemented a new marketing plan for Some Velvet Morning and the confidence to take on a second venue, The Bridge in Castlemaine. Sally Mather of The Corner Group, a coach, called it “a great way to connect with people in different facets of the industry and it was really exciting to see the enthusiasm everyone had to learn, share and really make the most of the program.”

Sydney’s legendary recording, mixing, and mastering facility Studio 301 has re-opened after a multi-million dollar upgrade. The relaunch party last week saw U2 producer Steve Lillywhite among guests, as well as local musicians, producers and execs.

Industry bids fond farewell to DJ Kuya (real name Arsenio Fabay). The three-time Victorian DMC State champion taught himself how to DJ at 12, and two years later taught his younger brother Dexter of The Avalanches. The music community rallied around with fundraisers when Fabay’s kidney complaint turned out to be cancer.

Melbourne hard rock band Dead City Ruins signed with Dinner For Wolves for Australia, releasing their album Never Say Die on Friday April 13. Over eight years the band toured US and Europe extensively, and the album was produced by UK’s James Lewis (Arctic Monkeys, Sunset Sons).

Of its seven stops, Laneway had its biggest crowd in Melbourne, with 15,000. Second was Auckland (13,000) followed by Sydney (12,500), Brisbane (11,000), Singapore and Fremantle (10,000 each) and Adelaide (6000).

Expect more bigger Aussie and international acts at Sutton Grange Winery in country Victoria: they’ve got the green light to expand their crowd capacity to 15,000 from 6000.

After last year’s inaugural VidCon in Melbourne attracted 7,000 and pumped $9 million boost to the economy, the Vic government has locked it in for 2018 and 2019.